In my opinion the RCMP do not provide the coverage we should be entitled to. This is, in part, because they are having trouble enlisting new Constables. My biggest concern revolves around the fact that regardless of the local Commanders meeting with Councils, the RCMP make their own decisions about which issues are their priorities and we have very little control. We have no idea what the Senior Officers in Ottawa are directing local Commanders to focus on. Decisions made in Ottawa could reflect what Ottawa believes to be important.
Local policing cannot be a ‘one policy fits all’. At present we have a Constable ‘on-call'(overnight); if we think about it, how likely is it that any Constable is going to get up and attend anything but a serious crime? It is also likely that Regional dispatch has been given latitude to filter what they believe are incidents which can wait until the next day. All I want to achieve in my poll question is for Local Government (RDOS) to at least review the benefits of creating a Regional force with the ability to direct the officers based on the direction of Directors and/or Mayors.
The other potential issues with the RCMP are capital expenditures. We have no idea if we will be on the hook for a new RCMP building; in Squamish the RCMP decided that the Public Safety Building was not large enough so they told the District they required a new structure. As I recall the District had to pay the entire cost. If Oliver can not afford the cost then Osoyoos might fill that request. If Osoyoos becomes the main detachment we can almost guarantee that police coverage in Oliver will be low on a priority list because Osoyoos already has a larger potential crime profile.
All the money which Oliver might pay for a new building could be used to fund a local detachment of regional force. It is likely the existing building would suffice.
Pat Hampson
First poll stopped at 151 votes – 56% said need more information